Principals report on test results

The Lennox School Board met May 12 and heard about Smarter Balance test scores from the principals.

At Lennox Elementary, Principal Cody Lutes said students were 75 percent proficient in math and 70 percent in ELA. At Worthing Elementary, Principal Amanda Kruse said students were 70 percent proficient in math and 68 percent in ELA.

LWC Intermediate Principal Darin Eich said students were 66 percent proficient in math and 69 percent in ELA. He said science scores showed struggles in the subject in fifth grade. He noted they do not teach science enough in fifth grade. For quite a few years, they have only taught science twice a week. They are going to switch to teaching it five days a week.

While he didn’t have exact scores, junior high/high school Chad Allison said students performed higher in all but two areas.

 The school board approved the resignations of Mike Larson as homecoming adviser contingent on finding a replacement, Tatum Mork as junior high assistant volleyball and Kayla Havrevold as LWC Intermediate School student council adviser.

They also approved the new contract for Mariah Graff as special education teacher.

The board reviewed the classified employee changes that included the retirement of Janell Zahn as Worthing Elementary administrative assistant after 40 years, the termination of Danon Wildeboer for foodservice, the resignation of Brenda Peterson for foodservice and the new work agreements for Nick Beck as custodian from 4 hours per day to 8 hours per day and Emily Rogers, Quinci Brewer, Shaynie Hinrickson and Cassandra Nelson as special education educational assistants.

The board approved the classified work agreements and certified contracts for 2025-26.

They approved the coaches work agreements for 2025-26 for Sam Bowers for assistant wrestling, Melvin Gabel for assistant volleyball, Matthew Hanson for head wrestling and assistant football, Whitney Flanagan for junior high girls basketball, Brady Jandl for assistant debate, Clinton Johnson for assistant girls softball, Steven Kruse for junior high track, Sheryl Ledeboer for junior high volleyball, Jason Mellegard for assistant football, Lindsay Nicola for head girls softball, Mike Oltmanns for head cross country and assistant track, Brandon Otte for assistant wrestling and Kevin Plank for boys and girls tennis.

The board approved the special service contracts for 2025-26 for Keeli Cwach, Patricia Kreider and Shelly Nader as speech language pathologists and Nathan Garrett and Sheila Strobel as school psychologists.

The board approved the Lennox Education Association/Board of Education 2025-26 negotiated agreement.

They also approved the classified staff salary and health insurance proposal and the administrator, director and special service salary and health insurance proposals.

The board approved the purchase of a Chevy Silverado from Lamb Chevrolet for $52,020. The pickup will be an additional vehicle for use to check roads, move snow and other duties. It was budgeted for in the capital outlay budget.

They approved membership in the South Dakota High School Activities Association for 2025-26.

The board approved casting ballots for SDHSAA small school board representative Billy Clanton from Harding County, East River at-large representative Ryan Rollinger from Harrisburg, Division I representative Jordan Bauer from Rapid City Central, Division III representative Chad Allison from Lennox and voting yes on all five constitutional amendments that deal with cleaning up some wording and loopholes in regard to open enrollment.

The board approved the code of conduct and matrix for the Totally Kids summer program. The document spells out what steps are taken for behavior issues.

They approved three RFPs for the high school addition - an electrical connection for card reader electrical latch retraction exit device for $692, relief valve in existing chilled system for $431 and adding a utility sink at scene shop for $9,764.

The board reviewed the approved open enrollments of 15 students from other districts and five students from Worthing to Lennox Elementary. Lutes noted they have been contacted by families that have a possible extra five second grade students for next year.

Allison noted that they have a construction meeting this week. The gym floor has arrived and will start going in once they finish sealing the concrete. He noted they had anticipated getting partial use of the gym and weight room but due to insurance and fire safety reasons, they cannot use those areas until the project is done since the sprinkler system won’t be functional until then.

The board adjourned at 6:48 p.m.